Always
by redrose7856
Summary: What happened in the year between LWW and Prince Caspian? My take on how the four Pevensies go through the year, and how the new changes in them are noticed by those around them.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Narnia is owned and created by C.S. Lewis, and I would rather die than try and steal his works for my own. **

"Do we _have_ to go?" Lucy Pevensie asked. Her mother didn't answer, already having said "yes"……._several_ times. Lucy sighed. Peter squeezed her hand.

"I don't _want_ to go to a school with just Edmund! We won't all be _together_." She whispered.

"It'll be all right." He replied. "Edmund will look after you." The car stopped and Edmund got out. Lucy bit her lip and followed. Mum led them into the school's office and in an instant, Lucy and Edmund where whisked away to their individual classes.

Lucy found herself in history, seated in between two boys named Roger and Roderick. _They look like the Calormen ambassadors, _Lucy thought, stifling a giggle.

"Miss Pevensie!" the teacher barked. "Is there something you'd care to share with the class?" Blushing, Lucy shook her head. Two sharp jabs to her sides made her yelp and caused the teacher to scowl again. Lucy looked on either side, where Roger and Roderick smirked at her. She tried to ignore them, but they wouldn't leave her alone. Biting back tears, she shifted and felt something n her skirt pocket. After making certain that the teacher wasn't looking, Lucy pulled it out and unfolded it. It was a scrap of paper, from a school notebook, probably, and the single word on it, in Peter's handwriting, made her heart soar:

_Valiant_

**Please R&R, that would be much appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia

**Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia. Narnia and everything that goes with it belongs to CS Lewis, who was a lot smarter than I am.**

**A/N: Thanks to all for your wonderful reviews! Just letting you know, this is an AU fic, so it doesn't follow the storyline exactly. The first four chapters will deal with school, and then I might write one telling about how Eustace first found out about Narnia. If you have any ideas or suggestions, let me know.**

Edmund sighed as he walked into the dining hall, carrying his lunch. Most of his classes were easy enough, but his teachers, remembering all too well the pranks he'd pulled last term, had warned him that he was being watched. Biting his lip, Edmund looked for Lucy. He saw her near an empty table and headed for it, one hand gripping the piece of paper that he'd found in his jacket that morning: _Just._

Setting his lunch on the table, Edmund looked at Lucy, who had her back to him. He opened his mouth to call out to her, but then he saw the two boys on both sides of her, and his words caught in his throat.

"…..hear that, kid?" one was asking.

"I heard you the first time you said that!" Lucy said sharply. "Now, if you'll excuse me…." She turned towards Edmund, but one of the boys grabbed her shoulder. In an instant, Edmund was there, shoving the boy away from his sister and stepping protectively in front of her. Both boys looked surprised, and then calm.

"Hey Ed," one said cheerfully. "Welcome back." Edmund recognized him: Roger. And the other boy was Roderick. Twins, making them twice as annoying.

"Roger," Edmund said stiffly.

"What gives, Pevensie?" Roderick demanded.

"This is my sister." Edmund said tensely.

"Oh!" Roger said, looking stunned. "But, I thought you wanted us to have fun with her when she got here."

"You'll go through me!" Edmund growled. Both boys drew back.

"Easy, Ed!" Roderick exclaimed. "We won't bother her, fine. Don't get so upset."

"Look here, Ed." Roger said, his eyes narrowing. "I'm not sure I like where this is going."

"I'm not like that anymore, Roger." Edmund said. "I'm through bullying." With that, he walked off.

"Thanks Edmund," Lucy said, squeezing his hand. He smiled at her and sat down. Lucy ate her lunch and then suddenly looked at him. "Did Peter give you anything?" she asked. Edmund pulled out his paper.

"I was about to ask you the same thing." He said, showing it to her. She handed him a slip of paper with the word _Valiant_ on it.

"What do you suppose Peter's trying to tell us?" Lucy asked.

"I think he's reminding us of what Aslan said. Do you remember, at the coronation? 'Once a king or queen in Narnia, always a king or queen in Narnia'. I think Peter's telling us to not change just because we're not in Cair Paravel." Edmund said thoughtfully. Lucy nodded. They finished their lunch and then Edmund headed for his next class, history. To his delight, the first thing he saw was a sword case, with two broadswords in it! Nearly bursting with joy, he ran over to them and stared.

"Interested in swordsmanship, are we, Master Pevensie?" asked a voice. Starting, Edmund turned, and wasn't surprised to see his old professor there.

"Yes sir." He said, smiling. "I worked some with swords during the summer."

"Then perhaps you wouldn't mind showing the class what you learned," Professor Markham suggested as the rest of the class entered.

"Not at all!" Edmund exclaimed, eyeing the swords greedily. His fingers itched for the feel of a sword. The bell rang just then, signaling the start of the period.

"Attention, everyone! Yes, welcome back to history, hopefully you all remember me." Markham said, causing a few laughs. "Ahem, to continue our study of the medieval period, we're going to talk about warfare. And to start us off, Master Pevensie and another young person will duel to give us an example of what it looks like."

"_I'll_ fight him sir," said a familiar voice. Edmund looked up. Roderick was grinning at him. Markham nodded.

"Very well, let's get you both into the armor."

Edmund went over and speedily strapped on the armor, loving the feel of the chain mail on his shoulders again. He grabbed a sword and turned to face Roderick, who was just grabbing his sword. The bully gripped his sword with both hands and took up a warrior's stance. Edmund held his in one hand and twirled it easily, his eyes locked on his opponent while his mind flew back to all the battles he'd done. Orieus' instructions flew through his mind, reminding him of their presence. Roderick stepped forward, and Edmund instinctively stepped back. Roderick lunged with a roar. Edmund easily blocked the blow and then parried. Roderick shoved the sword aside and then thrust with his own. Back and forth they went, armor jingling and clanking, swords ringing, feet a blur. Several times, their blows got too close to one another and a girl cried out for them to be careful. Even Professor Markham paled a bit at some of the blows. Roderick suddenly swung low, near Edmund's shins. Edmund leapt above it, and then landed. Roderick lunged and then yelped in pain. Several girls suddenly shrieked, for there was Roderick's sword: stuck in the wall of the classroom! Edmund's sword was instantly at Roderick's chest as both boys panted heavily.

"Yield!" Edmund ordered in a fierce whisper.

"I yield," Roderick gasped. Edmund lowered his sword and stepped back.

"Aren't you going to finish 'im off, Ed?" called a voice, causing several boys to dissolve in rowdy laughter. Edmund shook his head.

"He's unarmed and we're both tired. It's not sportsmanlike." He said, sheathing his sword and turning his back on his enemy. Professor Markham nodded, satisfied.

"Well done, both of you. A lesson in combat as well as chivalry. Well done." He said.

"The match was just and fair."

Edmund's heart swelled with pride at these words, for one of them was his own title:

_Just._

**Hopefully this isn't getting too cheesy! Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia.**

**A/N: Thanks again for all your wonderful reviews!!**

Susan sat in her history class, listening to the teacher's lectures. She suddenly felt someone's eyes on her and looked up. Several of the boys were staring at her, paying absolutely no attention to the teacher. When they saw her looking at them, they smiled. Susan smiled back and then faced forward again. She tried to concentrate on the lecture, but she could still feel them staring at her. At the end of class, the only word on her paper was the one that Peter had written there: _Gentle_. Susan looked at it and felt a sort of calm coming over her. _It's not over. You're going back someday. You're still Susan the Gentle._ Sighing, she stood up as the bell rang and headed for her next class.

"Susan!" called a voice. Susan turned, half expecting to see one of her friends, perhaps Louise or Diane. But instead, rugby captain Dirk Barnaby stood there.

"Oh, hello," Susan said politely.

"Hey, Su," Dirk said, grinning at her. _Su? Don't call me that. My family calls me Su._ "Look, I'm not sure if you've heard, seeing as you were shipped off to the country and all that – horrible, wasn't it? A few of my friends got shipped and they said that when they walked in, the person taking care of them was skinning a rabbit!" _Professor Kirke would never skin a rabbit; nor would the Macready. They were lovely people, and I find it extremely immature of you to even insinuate such a thing!_ "But anyway, a bunch of us are throwing a party, seeing as we're winning in the war and all that, and I was wondering if you wanted to come." _Killing more people does not count as winning!_

"No, thank you. I don' think so," Susan said as respectfully as she could before trying to walk away. Dirk grabbed her arm. Susan's temper flared: she was no longer an ordinary schoolgirl; she was Queen Susan the Gentle.

"How _dare_ you?" she demanded, her blue eyes blazing. "Remove your hand from my arm _at once_, or I shall be forced to inform the headmaster!" Dirk looked a bit taken aback at the sudden change in Susan's tone, but he merely laughed.

"Tell the head? What for? He won't care!"

"I command you to release me!" Susan ordered, trying to pull free.

"Come on, Su! Go with me!"

"Not for all the gold in Calormen!" Susan growled.

"Please?" Dirk begged mockingly.

"_Let her go!!_" roared a voice. The entire school hallway froze; everyone looked towards the source of the sound. Susan sighed in relief. Peter stood in the hallway, his blue eyes blazing furiously. He strode over and yanked Dirk away from Susan, stepping protectively in front of her.

"I was_ just_ asking her a _question_," Dirk said calmly. "There's no need to get so upset." Susan looked at her brother and felt a chill. She'd seen that look before, back in Narnia, when some of her suitors had gotten too demanding. People receiving looks like that didn't usually walk away.

"Peter, please," she said, grabbing onto her brother's arm. "Let him go."

"'Let him go'?" Dirk repeated, laughing. "What, you think that he's going to hit me or something? Yeah, right!" That's when Peter's fist connected with his nose.

--

Predictably, no one sat with Susan at lunch. Peter couldn't; he and Dirk were in the nurse's, and then he would be taken to the headmaster's office to receive proper punishment. Susan sighed and looked at the clock. Doubtless Mum was being called, or perhaps she was already on her way there. Susan thought about what could be happening and groaned. It was so like Peter to get into trouble on their first day of school.

_On your behalf,_ the Gentle side of her said. _He was defending his sister's honor._ Despite all that was happening, Susan had to smile. She looked at the piece of paper that had her title on it. _We may be back in Narnia, but some things don't change._

**Here you go! Enjoy! Hopefully this isn't too lame!**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia

**Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia. So there.**

**A/N: Thanks to everyone for their amazing reviews, and welcome to the new readers! Enjoy this second-to-last chapter!**

Peter was furious. Not only was he in the infirmary with _Dirk_, but he was being punished for what he'd done! Glaring at his knees with enough ferocity to burn a hole in his trousers, Peter shoved his hands in his pockets, feeling the piece of paper he'd written to himself. Sighing, he pulled it out and read it: _Magnificent_. That was who he was. He was too old to be dealing with schoolboys picking on his siblings and playing stupid pranks. He'd faced down armies of giants, men, ogres, and all sorts of horrible things. He'd spent days negotiating peace treaties with ambassadors from all over. Now he was being expected to stand back and watch as some petty schoolboy accosted his sister! By the Lion's Mane, what was wrong with these people?

The door to the infirmary opened and a boy stuck his head it.

"Pevensie and Barnaby are wanted in the office," he announced, smiling nastily at the two boys. Peter wished he could get up and box the boy's ears for him. That would teach him to delight in other people's misery! But instead, he merely stood with Dirk and followed the boy to the headmaster's office, where their parents were waiting. At the sight of their battered son, the Barnabys leapt to their feet and rushed to him, gushing at how sorry they were and how everything would be all right. Helen Pevensie stood, too, but she didn't rush to her son. Peter stared at her defiantly. _You told me to look after the others, Mum,_ he thought. _I'm the man of the house now; I'm supposed to protect them! But how can I, when people want to punish me for doing the right thing?_

"Have a seat," the headmaster instructed. Peter sat down in between his mother and Dirk's family. "Now then, what exactly happened here?" The headmaster asked, folding his hands and studying the boys.

"He attacked me!" Dirk said through his swollen lips.

"He was threatening my sister," Peter said calmly. "I was protecting her."

"How was I threatening her?" Dirk demanded. "I asked her to a bloody dance!"

"And refused to release her until she'd said yes," Peter shot back, glaring at the rugby captain. Strong and brave as he was, Dirk looked down and shifted uncomfortably.

"And since he wouldn't release her, Master Pevensie, you thought to attack him yourself instead of getting help?" the headmaster asked. Peter turned his icy stare onto him.

"I'm the oldest," he said coldly. "It's my job to protect and look after my siblings. Not the school boards!"

"Peter!" cried his mother, shocked.

"It's all right, Mrs. Pevensie," the headmaster said soothingly. "So, you believe that it is your sole responsibility to protect your family, and nobody else's. Is that right, Master Pevensie?" At Peter's nod, he muttered an "I see" and made some notes.

"What are you going to do, Headmaster?" Mrs. Barnaby cried shrilly. "That hothead attacked my boy!"

"And your boy attacked my daughter!" Helen Pevensie snapped. Mrs. Barnaby looked shocked, and she opened her mouth to argue further.

"Ladies, please!" the headmaster cut in. "This is not the moment for rash action!"

"Then I don't see what we're doing here," Mr. Barnaby said angrily. "What kind of school is this? Where if a boy attacks another boy, you ask them questions and study them instead of giving them the punishment they deserve!" He glared at Peter.

"What did you think was going to happen?" Helen demanded. "Your son threatened my daughter! Peter was only doing what any older brother would!"

"_My_ older brother never did anything like that," Mr. Barnaby said pointedly. Helen rolled her eyes.

"Boo hoo!" she snarled. "Even at that age, you were fully capable of taking care of yourself, sir, unlike my teenage daughter, who is incapable of defending herself against bullies!" Peter thought this untrue, but decided against mentioning it.

"_Bullies_?" Mrs. Barnaby shrieked, leaping from her seat. "How _dare_ you call my boy a bully, you….you….you tramp! You think that women are the new leaders, don't you? Is that why you shipped your husband off to Germany!?" Helen stared at the woman.

"At least my husband," she said in a chilly voice, "Knows the meaning of patriotism!" For a moment, everyone thought that the two mothers would start fighting. Indeed, it looked as if Mrs. Barnaby was about to slap Helen. Secretly, Peter was certain that his mother could've taken her, but he never told anyone of this.

"Enough!" the headmaster barked, standing. "Both of you sit down!" As both mothers sank into their seats, still glaring at each other, he sighed. "For fighting, Peter will receive a suspension. For threatening Miss Pevensie, Dirk will receive the same. Any questions or comments?" There was silence, and then Peter remarked,

"Thank goodness school ends soon!" Looking outraged, Mrs. Barnaby opened her mouth to scream at him, but Helen Pevensie wisely grabbed her son and hurried him out.

"What were you _thinking_?" she hissed. Peter looked at her.

"I was doing what you told me to," he said simply before starting off down the halls. Helen stared after him, stunned. He'd changed. Her oldest son was rapidly becoming a man. Helen started following, trying to hide the smile playing across her lips. _His father would be so proud._

**Ta-da! The second-to-last chapter! Only one more to go! Enjoy and please R&R!**


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: As I have said many, many times before, I do not own Narnia

**Disclaimer: As I have said many, many times before, I do not own Narnia. Anyone who thinks that has a very high opinion of my writing!**

**A/N: I hope none of you will mob me for writing this last chapter to "Always". But I think that after this chapter, the story will be done. If you're interested, I plan on writing another Narnia fanfic after this one.**

"This is horrid!" Susan said, keeping her voice low.

"Susan, he's our cousin!" Lucy said, shocked at her sister's outburst. Susan rolled her eyes.

"I know he's related to us, but you weren't in the car on the way home from the station!" she hissed. "Father mentioned that we were eagerly awaiting his visit and were excited to spend the holidays with him, and he said in a snotty voice, 'Yes, well I'm sure they're just putting on a show for you, sir. After all, your children are _far_ from being _that_ perfect'!"

"So he's a bit arrogant…." Peter began.

"Pete, he wanted us to carry all his luggage and said that 'back home, I wouldn't even have to _tell_ you to do that!'" Edmund mimicked.

"Did you have to?" Lucy asked incredulously.

"Father said that we should be polite to our guest," her brother replied, his dark eyes flashing.

"Listen to me, all of you," Peter ordered. They all quieted and looked at him. He was, after all, the High King. "I know Eustace may be a little pest, but he is family, after all. We're family. It might not hurt us to start acting like one." He said, quoting their old friend, Professor Kirke, at whose home they had stayed during the war.

"I'll try and be gentle," said Susan with a wry smile. The others laughed.

"I wonder if Eustace would want to go walking in the park later," Lucy wondered aloud.

"If anyone could get him to go, it'd be you." Edmund said with a teasing grin. "Remember how she got those ambassadors to talking after their civil war?" he asked the others. Smiling, they all nodded.

"I miss it," Lucy said with a sigh.

Just then, the door to the bedroom opened and Mrs. Pevensie walked in, leading Eustace.

"He thought you'd abandoned him," their mother said cheerfully. "Though I told him you would never do anything like that. Would you?"

"Of course not," Susan said, smiling.

"I'll leave you with them," Mrs. Pevensie said to Eustace, smiling at her children before leaving. Eustace made a face at her back, but she didn't see. Edmund stood up with a snarl, but Peter pulled him down.

"Easy, Ed." His older brother murmured. "Remember family." Edmund grudgingly sat down, his fists clenched. Eustace sniggered at him.

"'Easy Ed'," he mimicked. "What were you going to do, hit me?" Edmund opened his mouth to say that yes, he _was_ about to do just that, when Lucy jumped in.

"Do you want to go for a walk in the park, Eustace?" she asked, giving him one of her most charming smiles. Eustace smiled and the older Pevensies sighed in relief; if he'd been rude to Lucy, no one would've been able to forgive him. He was going to be nice.

But Eustace surprised them.

"No, I don't want to go for a walk in the _park_," he said in an adult voice, as if he was several years older than Lucy, instead of just one. "Parks are for babies!" Lucy's jaw dropped and her blue eyes stared at her cousin, stunned. Peter and Edmund both rose, eyes blazing, but Susan hurriedly offered to show Eustace around their home. Wisely, he agreed and the two left, Susan shooting her siblings a warning look. As soon as the door had been shut, Peter immediately hugged his sister, while Edmund started kicking the carpet.

"Little bother, why'd he have to come here anyways, it's not like he likes it here!" he muttered with each savage kick.

"You all right, Lu?" Peter asked. Lucy nodded.

"I was just shocked for a moment," she answered. "I can't believe he said that," she added, sitting on the bed. Peter sat down beside her and Edmund stopped lashing out at the rug and joined them.

"What are we going to do?" he asked, looking at Peter. "I suppose beating him to a pulp is out."

"What do you think?" Peter asked, grinning. Edmund sighed.

"And I thought saving Susan from Rabadash and the Tisroc was bad!" he muttered. "Fighting the Calormenes is nothing compared to _this_!"

"Let's think this through logically," Peter said.

"All right, _Susan_!" Edmund said dryly.

"Shut up and listen, will you? If we were at Cair Paravel, what would we do?"

"Walk him off the top of the star watching tower?" Edmund suggested.

"Do you remember how much trouble we got into for doing that to Antheus?" Peter exclaimed. "And _he_ could fly!"

"You were saying?" Lucy asked.

"Well, he's visiting Cair Paravel, and we can't send him home or pull and tricks or anything. What would we do with him?"

"Avoid him at all costs!" Edmund exclaimed. Peter punched him in the arm.

"We'd do the opposite. Act like he's the best guest we've ever had! Take him on tours, feed him the best food, and spend every waking moment with him! We'll _make_ him have fun!" Both Edmund and Lucy smiled, catching on.

"So we just act like we're back in Narnia?" Lucy asked. Peter nodded.

"And this way, he can't tell on us," Edmund added. "I mean, what's he going to say? 'They're being too nice'? As if that'd work!"

"This is going to bring back memories," Lucy said dreamily.

"Memories of what? _Narnia_?" asked a sudden voice, causing them all to jump. Eustace stood in the doorway, smirking at them. "What is that anyway?" he asked, strolling inside.

"None of your business!" Edmund snapped. "Where's Susan?"

"Her? Oh, I left her in the library. She's so _boring_. 'This book was written in 1635, by Sir Archibald of York'. Who _cares_? So, what's Narnia?" Lucy looked from Peter to Edmund before answering.

"It's a country we went to while we were at the Professor's," she said. Her brothers watched their cousin's reaction carefully, ready to pounce if he said anything wrong.

"_I've_ never heard of it," Eustace challenged.

"That's because it's in a different place," Lucy said, struggling to find the right words. "It's a magical country, and we found it in the back of a wardrobe." Eustace stared at her.

"A magical country? In the back of a wardrobe?" he repeated before bursting out laughing. "Rubbish! Don't be stupid! There's no such thing!" Lucy looked hurt.

"It _was_ real," Edmund said defensively. "And we were kings and queens there!"

"What kind of stupid creatures would let _you_ lead?" Eustace sneered. "Honestly, Edmund, I thought you were too old to play games!"

"It wasn't a game!" Lucy cried, looking close to tears. "It was _real_, and we're going to go back there someday!" Eustace sniggered and then looked down at her.

"How can _I_ get there?" he asked.

"You can't." Lucy said. "It-It's not that simple--!"

"I can't get there because it's all a stupid game that you all played because you were stuck in the country and you don't want me involved!" Eustace snapped. "It's not real, do you understand?!" Lucy bit her lip, but one tear escaped anyway. Edmund clenched his teeth and put an arm around her. "What're you crying for?" Eustace demanded, grinning nastily. "It's time for you to grow up! All of you!" Peter, who had been watching all these events unfold before him, suddenly sprang up and socked Eustace right in the chin. Lucy gasped and Edmund looked stunned. Eustace stumbled backwards, bumping into Susan, who was just coming in.

"What on earth's going on?" she demanded, steadying Eustace. The boy looked at her and then scrunched up his face as if he was going to cry.

"He hit meeeeeeeeee!" he wailed, pointing to Peter.

"Peter!" Susan cried, outraged. Eustace shoved past her and ran downstairs, sobbing loudly. Susan glared at her brother. "Nicely done," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Peter stared at her.

"He asked for it," Edmund spoke up. Susan looked at him and saw Lucy, the remains of tears still fresh on her cheeks. Her eyes widened and she ran to her sister.

"What did he do?" she demanded.

"He told us to grow up about Narnia," Lucy explained. Susan sighed.

"He's wrong," she said simply. Just then, they heard Mrs. Pevensie yelling for Peter. Groaning at the prospect of punishment, he stood up. Everyone else did, too.

"You don't have to come," he told them. "You didn't hit him."

"No," Edmund agreed, standing beside his brother. "But we're family." Susan and Lucy joined them and Peter nodded.

"Fine then," he said, smiling. "We'll all go. Come on." Standing in the same formation that they had at each banquet, tournament and ceremony in Narnia, the four Pevensies went downstairs, Aslan's words ringing in their heads:

_Once a King or Queen in Narnia, always a King or Queen._

**The End. There, I think that's a fitting end to a good story, don't you? I sure hope so! Please enjoy this chapter and don't forget to R&R!**


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